Mobile homes or manufactured homes refertoresidential structures that have the ability to be moved fromoneplace to another. Initially called trailer homes, mobile homeshavenow come a long way. Modern mobile homes are much moreintricateand beautiful in their designs. Some newer mobile homesappear nodifferent than traditional brick, cement and mortar homesto theamateur eye.There are typically two kinds of mobile homes- the singlewideandthe doublewide. Singlewide mobile homes are less than sixteenfeetin width when assembled, while doublewide mobile homes aremore thantwenty four feet in width. Singlewide mobile homesconsist of singlepieces which are transported by means of trucktrailers to the site.Doublewide mobile homes have two parts, whichare fixed together onsite. Some people have reservationsconcerning doublewide homes, asthey believe they are prone toleakages if assembled improperly.However, doublewide homes arevery spacious. Triplewide mobile homesare also manufactured, butthey are very scarce. A triplewide homeis immensely spacious andcan provide for as many as five bedroomsand three bathrooms.Mobile homes or manufactured homes need to meet the standardsofthe Housing and Urban Development code of the US, popularlycalledthe HUD code. This code was effectuated in June 15, 1976 anditdelineated norms to manufacture mobile homes. These norms relatetobuilding standards, fireproofing, plumbing, heating,airconditioning and electricity systems. Apart from these rules,ifthe mobile home has garages, sheds, etc. then they must meetthecodes.Earlier mobile homes were classified as movable propertyandtaxed as vehicles. This led to a spurt in people buying them,asthey saved a lot on taxes. Modifications occurred in the designsofmobile homes, and newer homes are actually permanentstructuresthat remain on one location throughout their lives afterbeingassembled. They no longer have wheels, but can be dismantledanderected at another location if needed. This led to amendmentsinthe taxation process. Today mobile homes are also classifiedasreal properties and taxes are accordingly levied on them.Moving a mobile home can be a complicated and expensiveprocess.If you are not already familiar with the logistics oftransportinga trailer home, it can be a little intimidating. Thereare a fewthings that you need to know in order to make surethattransporting your home goes by without any problems.First off, you need to be familiar with any applicable cityandstate laws regarding the transportation and installation ofyourmobile home. Check with your city government regarding anyzoninglaws that may affect whether or not you can install a trailerhomeon the property you are moving it to. Some land may be zonedforresidential purposes, but may have clauses excluding trailerhomes.You will also need to know of any transportation lawsregardingwhen and how you can move your home. Your state'sdepartment oftransportation should have this information. You couldalso callaround to some local mobile home moving companies - theyshouldknow about any applicable laws that would affecttheirbusiness.You should also get familiar with the equipment used totransportmobile homes. It's not like the old days where you couldjust hitchyour trailer to a pickup truck and go. Modern mobilehomes requirevery specialized equipment and skilled movers to getthe job done.Trailer homes in transit will be moved onto trucksvia cranes orhydraulic lifts. Single wide homes usually requireonly trailer,while double wide and larger homes might needmultiple trucks andtrailers. In addition to the big trucks thattransport thebuildings, pilot vehicles are also used to help guidethe way andwatch for potential obstacles on the road. Thesevehicles can be anordinary passenger car, van, or pickuptruck.

Craftsman Home Plans usually call for at leastone if not several fireplaces. In the design stages of planningyour new home - you will need to know the recommended measurementsfor chimney, flue and mantel.In the construction of the masonry for any craftsman homefireplace or chimney it is important that the foundation start fromsolid ground and as far down as the lowest part of the foundationwall of the house itself.All woodwork must be excluded from inside the chimney and thebeams should be framed around the brick work. A fireproof hearthshould be constructed with a distance of 12 inches or more from theface of the chimney wherever there is to be an open fireplace.The best placement for the opening for the fireplace is in thecenter of the chimney. If a flue passes up on only one side thenbalance to the chimney can be made by running up studs on the otherside to give an equal width without a waste of brick work.Designing The FlueIt is a safe rule to make the height of the fireplace ratherless than the width of the opening and the depth should be at leastone-half the height. The average size of fireplaces is made 30 in.wide, 30 in. high, 12 in. deep in the rough brickwork. To this isadded the mantel facing giving a depth of about 15 inches.The smoke flue, in cross section, should be about 1/2 the areaof the fireplace opening. That would for the above mentioned size,give a cross section of about 75 sq. in. and for this the flue isusually built about 8in. x 8in.The flue itself should be uniform in size from the throat offireplace to the extreme top of chimney and sharp turns andunnecessary bends should be avoided.It is desirable to use terra cotta flue lining as they insure asmooth surface in the flue and also give protection againstpossibility of a spark going through an open joint of the firebrickwork.The flue linings should be carried a little above the top of thechimney so as to permit a beveled shoulder of cement to run down tomeet the brick work. This also leaves a nice clean look to theexterior chimney top.Make sure that the flue lining is sufficient so that you willhave eight inches of brick around the chimney. Around the openfireplaces there should be at least 12 inches of brick work, or 8inches of brick work with 4 inches of air space, between the fireand any woodwork.What Is A Chimney Throat?The space immediately above the fireplace is termed the "throat"and the sides of a chimney throat should run at an angle of about45 degrees starting at the sides of the fireplace and meeting theflue directly over the center of the fireplace.The very best option is to build in an iron throat damper. Thishas the right shape to insure good draft and has the advantage thatthe damper can be closed when the fireplace is not in use or whenthe draft of the fire is too strong.We often see plastering on the inside of a flue as the chimneyis being built. It does insure a smooth surface while the work isnew, but is not desirable because the plaster will eventuallyloosen and fall. When it drops out, it pulls some of the mortarfrom between the bricks and this will make the surface even rougherthan it would be if the brick work has not been plastered in thefirst place.You must always take precautions to prevent any pulling onmortar between the brick - because loose or missing mortar makes itpossible for a spark to pass from the flue to the surroundingwoodwork. If you cannot get terra cotta flue linings, have eightinches of the brick work built, but not plastered inside.Should You Use Wood For A Mantel?Wood mantels if properly made can be used with entire safetywhere you have open fireplaces or regular open grates in yourCraftsman Style Home. In Colonial times when houses were heatedopen fireplaces, wood mantels were used almost exclusively andthere are many fine examples of these mantels still in existence,without any suggestion of wear or scorching.

You've been gardening for a year or two nowand have discovered that this is one hobby that you want tocontinue. Gardening not only brings you personal fulfillment but,your home and yard has never looked better. The only problem is themore you garden the more tools and equipment you accumulate. Thetime has come for you to provide your tools and equipment with ahome of their own. A garden shed is the perfect place to keep allthose gardening essentials in one place and you are thinking aboutbuilding your own shed. You have been looking at plans for woodengarden sheds and there are so many to choose from you are not quitesure how to go about choosing the right garden shed plans for you.While different gardeners have different needs, here are 5things every gardener wants in their garden sheds:SpaceWhile the amount of space you are going to want in your shed isgoing to depend a great deal on what equipment you have or plan tohave in future, you are going to want to make sure that your woodengarden sheds have enough space to accommodate everything you havenow plus enough additional space for any tools or equipment youwill be adding in the future. A good rule of thumb is to build yourwooden garden sheds 1/3 larger than your present needs. That wayyou will have the extra space you need for anything you forgot toconsider or simply for future additions to your gardeningarsenal.ConvenienceYou are also going to want to arrange the items in your woodengardening sheds in a way that they are convenient to get and sothat the shed itself is convenient to use. This means you are goingto want to choose a plan for your gardening shed that hasdirections for building such things as shelves, racks for hangingtools such as rakes, hoes, weed whips and other tools that youdon't want to just pile in the corner. You may also want toconsider such conveniences as a full side opening door to get thegarden tractors in and out of the wooden garden sheds easier andperhaps potting and resting benches. You might even want toconsider adding a porch to your shed so that you can rest out ofthe sun while working in your garden.StyleHaving the right style of wooden garden sheds are another thingmost gardeners want. No one who spends time making their yard andgarden beautiful wants a shed that is an eyesore. So, choosing ashed that is the right style to match your surroundings and theexisting buildings on your property is a must for most gardeners.There are many different styles of sheds to choose from such assaltbox, barn, gingerbread and even colonial.LooksNot only do most gardeners want the right style of wooden gardensheds, they want their shed to have the right look about it. Addingwindows or the right roof or trim to your shed can help it to blendin and enhance it's surroundings. It also helps to create a betterimpression of your entire property as well which is important togardeners who take pride in the appearance of their home.Ease Of BuildingMost gardeners who build their own wooden garden sheds want ashed that is simple and easy to build allowing for a professionalfinished looking project. Not everyone is a skilled carpenter andmost Do it yourselfers need plans that offer simple step by stepdirections that are easy to follow and results in a great lookingbuilding when assembled. Luckily, with so many shed plans to choosefrom finding a shed plan that matches your building skills shouldbe a simple matter of doing a little research. Finding the rightplans for wooden garden sheds that meet all your needs and givesyou everything you want in a garden shed will make your enjoymentof caring for your yard and garden all the more pleasurable. Youjust may find that it is the best investment you ever made.

Most apartments likely have the disguiseandfeel of a well resided home. Apartment living is a great waytosave money and it gives you the freedom to move around, asyoudesire. Entertaining in a well-designed apartment will makeyoufeel good and will most likely make you enjoy living there.Cheapapartment decorating ideas will help you avoid being broke;whilelavishly stylizing you're apartment for that next biggathering orsimply for you- to make you feel good about living inan apartment.Paint: Many apartment complexes have rules about not beingableto paint the inside of your dwelling. If they do, it's probablyaboring white / off white color. To avoid the plain bare wallsyoucan paint you're furniture instead. Be creative and paint anoldtable, wood chairs or an end table a bright color. Paint ischeap,easy and a cost effective strategy to bring color into yourhome.Another idea, go to a yard sale, swap meet or discount storeandfind colorful cheap artwork to hang on your boring white wallstobring out the zest.You could use curtains as a way to decorate you're plainwallswithout painting or wallpaper. It gives the look of luxuryandgives the illusion you have windows behind drapes. Use longdrapesthat hang from the ceiling to the floor to give height to theroominstead of a tiny window or just plain blank wall.Carpet: Apartments normally don't come with polishedhardwoodfloors many of us dream about; they usually have carpetwith threegenerations of living already built in. Most will have afew stainsand you will usually have to live with it. However, thereis asolution to the problem and its called area rugs. Area rugsaregreat for covering stains and boring colored carpet. Thebestplaces to find area rugs for cheap are online at Craigslist,Pier 1and Cost Plus. Area rugs will be your best friend when livingin anapartment.Small Spaces: Apartments are normally small cramped spaces.Usingmirrors is a great way to make your apartment feel larger andgiveit a homey feel. You can find all different sizes of mirrorsat aswap meet and/or thrift store. You can find large ones tocover anentire wall if you want, but I prefer many different sizedframedmirrors. Framed mirrors give a little extra pizazz and amoreextravagant look then plain border-less mirrors. If youlikeconformity, you can paint the frames the same color orusedifferent colors and/or stain them to your liking.Dining area: In today's high tech world many peopletelecommutefor work. If you're living in an apartment you may nothave theroom for a home office. If you need a work space, one ideais toget rid of the dining room table and replace it with an oldfarmtable or console table that fits the area. This will give itanindustrial look and provide an adequate work space. Insteadofdining chairs find some folding chairs that can be foldedandstored under your bed. I would use a nice ergonomic desk chairwithwheels while working. This will give you the opportunity to usethetable as a desk or as a dining table when you have guest.Furniture Placement: If you're room is large enough youcan"float" the sofa in the middle and add a console or lowdresserbehind it. This can provide a nice barrier between thedining andliving area, as they are usually shared spaces. You mayhave tomove it around a bit to get it the way you want it. You mayevenput up a nice room divider behind the sofa to break it upevenmore.Shelving: Shelving can be used in any room of your home anditprovides a nice placement for you're what knots or generalstorageneeds. You can use baskets, mason jars and/or any nicecontainersto sit on the shelves. You can get inexpensive shelvingat Ikea,swamp meet or discount store. Floating shelves are reallynice andcan add an extra flair to any room.Greenery: Plants are a great way to bring life intoyou'reapartment. They look great and actually have healthbenefits.

There are lots of options when putting up agarden fence. Is the fence strictly to add beauty to your yard orare you trying to keep out wandering animals? One unique type offencing is a bamboo garden fence. Bamboo garden fences are made indifferent designs and come in many sizes. They come premade asfence panels or you can create your own from rolled or splitbamboo. Either way will produce outstanding results.If you're feeling creative and have some extra time you may wantto build your own fence. There are a few things that can make iteasier. When building a bamboo garden fence, it's best to usepressure treated posts to sink into the ground. These have a longerlife than cedar posts, so your bamboo fence will last a lotlonger.When it comes time to attach the bamboo, use a fine bladedhacksaw to make any necessary cuts on the bamboo canes. Other typesof saws can cause splitting. When you cut a bamboo cane, always cutabove the joint and at an angle, rather than straight across. Thatway the membrane can protect against water collecting.When attaching the bamboo to the posts, use a drill to make ahole slightly bigger than the nail. This reduces the chance of thebamboo cracking or being crushed.One important fact about bamboo is that it is a grass and notwood. Therefore it shouldn't come into direct contact with theground or it will deteriorate. You can avoid this from occurring byputting a piece of wood along the lower edge of your garden fencewith the bamboo above it.Bamboo fencing can easily last years when it's built and caredfor properly. Just like you need to treat a wooden fence with apreservative to keep it in good shape, a bamboo fence is nodifferent. Use a preservative that has UV protection for bestresults. After a few years you may notice that the bamboo ischanging color and even cracking, due to weather conditions andharsh sunlight. Wood fences are affected as well. Continuing toapply preservative regularly will help limit this damage.You are making a good decision when you build a bamboo gardenfence. Since bamboo is considered a renewable resource, by usingbamboo rather than another material, you are helping theenvironment. And you will end up with a truly unique and beautifulfence around your garden.A bamboo garden fence is a fantastic addition to any gardenarea. It can be used in creating a boundary between your garden andthe rest of your yard space. Unless your yard is very large,chances are that your garden is very visible. Bamboo garden fencescan block out messy weeds or compost piles from plain view, as wellas keeping four legged visitors out.Although there are lots of possibilities when it comes to gardenfences, bamboo is probably the most inexpensive option as well asbeing the easiest to erect. Despite its appearance, bamboo isactually quite strong and durable. It stands up well to the sun andweather so is a good choice for any garden.As with any natural products, bamboo will deteriorate over timeand so will require some care. Applying a treatment suitable foryour area and weather conditions, to your bamboo garden fence, willreduce damage.If you want to separate your garden from the rest of your yard,bamboo garden fences will work well and be aesthetically pleasing.It can be easily installed onto an existing fence or attached to awooden frame using galvanized wire or heavy duty staples.If you are looking to simply screen off an area, a movable fenceis a good alternative. In this case bamboo fence panels areprobably your best option. With bamboo, you can easily build, moveand then dismantle the fence when it's time for a clean-up.If the reason for having a fence is mainly to keep animals outof your garden, you will want to install the bamboo fence panelsonto a wood frame. That way you cam keep the bamboo from touchingthe ground. Although bamboo is a tough, durable material it doesn'tdo well with direct contact with the ground.

Finally you've managed to save up the moneyfor that home cinema projector of your dreams but which one shouldyou get and what should you be considering when looking?The purpose of this article is to give you a good understandingof the differences between the home cinema projectors out there andwhich features are more important that others when choosing.Different Types of Home Cinema ProjectorsA home cinema projector produces an image on a projection screenby sending light across the room and the main difference betweenmodels is the way in which that light is transmitted. Currently themain three types of home cinema projectors are called:• DLP (Digital Light Processing)• LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)• LED (Light Emitting Diode)• CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)Each of the terms in brackets is the type of technology used totransmit the light and you really don't need to understand thetechnical differences between them all to enjoy a great movieexperience.I have listed below each different type with the pros and consin each case.DLPDLP home cinema projectors are usually the smallest of the bunchand give out a really good picture quality for the price. Theycreate the image by using millions of tiny mirrors which reflecteach pixel of light to produce the image you see. The drawback tothis technology is that it cannot transmit red, green and blue(RGB) all at the same time and in doing so can give a rainboweffect if you move your eyes from side to side quickly during themovie. This can get quite annoying and some people are moresensitive to this effect than others.This technology requires a light source (lamp) to produce theimage and unfortunately these lamps work on the same physics asnormal lamps and so you are going to have to replace it every yearor so to make sure you keep the best high light levelprojection.LCDThis technology was around before DLP but actually came into itsown in the home cinema projector world afterwards. It sends theimages by projecting a light source behind a transparent sheetwhich continuously redraws the image.This technology is now quite popular in the home cinema circlesbut once again you will need to change the light source (lamp)every year or so.LEDLED home cinema projectors are relatively new at the time ofwriting and are still quite expensive. They produce the image byusing many small LEDs which can produce RGB light at incrediblyhigh speed. The added benefit of this technology is that theprojectors don't require a separate light source.CRTCRT home cinema projectors are rarely seen much anymore as thetechnology is quite old and bulky and does not fit in with today'slifestyle. At one stage they were the only technology outthere.3D Home Cinema ProjectorsI'm sure you've heard of 3D technology as there have been a lotof new films produced which use this technique but what exactly isit and how does it work. Also, is it worth you paying the excess toget hold of it?Well, at present there is not much content (DVDs, Blu-ray discs)to be able to use this technology to its full but it can be fun toadd it to your specification. The problem is because the technologyis new, the cost is high and so you will need some deep pockets topick one up.You will still need to wear the 3D glasses to get the best outof this new home cinema projector technology and so if you can getover the way you look from the outside whilst wearing them thenthis may be for you.AfterthoughtsWhatever type of home cinema projector technology you decide togo for you need to make sure you get out to your local specialistto see it with your own eyes. At the end of the day you should gofor the one that you like the look of best and this can only reallybe achieved by getting out there.

Did you know that you can buy a log home kit?They can be found on the Internet and are cheaper than building atraditional handcrafted log home. Those handcrafted homes are madeone log at a time and the logs are shaped using special tools. Thelog home kit won't take that long or be that tedious.When looking for a log home kit there are a few options that cancontrol the price of the kit. You want to make sure there are nohidden surprises so plan that the final price includes the price ofthe log home kit, the land and site work costs. Make sure yourbudgeted amount is above that final price.Generally larger log homes will cost more to build. Also it willcost more to furnish, heat, maintain and pay in property taxes. Ifyou want the most affordable price, then don't go for a large loghome. Keep it moderate or smaller to really maximize yourcosts.To get a handle on the real final price, find out if the builderwill throw in extra charges for various things such as difficultyin reaching the location, crane needed, is electricity available orwill it have to be brought in, are there utilities or will a septictank need to be dug and installed? These are the kinds of questionsthat you need to ask. You don't want any special surprises to showup later that kill your budget.I'm sure you know that the more architectural finesses you have,the more the log home will cost to build. Pick a log home kitdesign that doesn't drive the cost way up. Some examples of costlyto build designs are cathedral ceilings, dormers, many windows,more than a plain roof.A two story log home kit will cost less than a large singlestory log home of the same square footage. Why? Because the largefirst floor requires more below ground work and more of a roof. Theheating and cooling costs will also be higher.To control the costs of your log home kits, pay attention toeverything mentioned above. Have fun planning your dream log homesthough, they are a true joy to own.If ever you are of the mind to own your own home, a log cabinhome, log homes kits are the best thing to come around since slicedbread. Now, allow me to dispel a misconception here... by the soundof it, the concept of building a log home from a kit sounds almostlike there would be a resulting many of the same design homesdotting the landscape, as though they were all popped out of molds,or a log cabin cookie cutter, if you will. I'm here to tell youthat this just simply could not be any farther from the truth.There are countless designs to choose from, and all have room forchanges to be made to each one, allowing great space and room forindividuality from home to home. The "kit" part of this wholeconcept lies in something else entirelyThe concept of log homes kits does not mean uniformity of houseplans or designs. There is a sense of uniformity, but it all liesin the cut of the logs, how they fit together, and in their abilityto be custom created to fit according to the individual designs ofeach log cabin. This is not only to provide ease of construction,but also to reduce by inordinate amounts the time it takes tocomplete the construction of a log-built structure. Basically, whenyou receive a kit, you get a complete package of all of the partsneeded to build your log home - the logs themselves, the flooring,all windows and doors, and if not gotten separately, even all the"built-ins", such as kitchen cabinetry, for example. All parts aremarked for proper placement and in the order they are to beconstructed in.Now, imagine building a log home not from a kit, but fromscratch, with an amount of logs to be shaped and fitted on-site.This represents a huge amount of labor and time consumption. To laydown the first set of logs, and then to cut and shape the next logsto conform to the contours of the previously laid ones, all one logat a time in succession, would make the building of your home takeup to many months to complete.

Bamboo gardening involves a little bit of carein the beginning, but the rewards are definitely worth it. Althoughyou have to investigate what species is native to your local area,bamboo tends to be a very low maintenance plant that can weathermany hard conditions.Adding bamboo to your garden can give it an air of exoticnessand serenity. Many people are scared of the rumors they have heardabout the roots spreading wildly and even causing neighbor disputesover property lines. This can all be avoided by doing a smallamount of research a head of time before planting.Two things to check for are:1) Are the bamboo plants you want in your garden native to yourarea or able to survive in your zone?2) Is the bamboo a clumping type or spreading type of bamboo?Obviously clumping types are easier to deal with, as they tendto stay bunched together. However, even spreading bamboo can becontrolled. By either partially or fully surrounding the bamboowith a thick piece of plastic you can direct the spreading of thebamboo roots.Bamboo roots tend to stay more toward the top, so going downabout 2 feet should suffice. Having the bamboo area slightly raisedwith a ledge will allow you to see the roots extending each yearand easily trim the back.Bamboo are very durable and low maintenance, but they do need alittle attention once or twice a year. Thinning the leaves once ayear will also bring them back to life, so to speak. The leavestend to get quite full and you loose the natural lines of thestems. Clipping and sculpting as you go, bring out the beauty ofthe plant.Overall, the easiest way to do bamboo gardening is to plant thebamboo in a pot, paying special attention not to disturb the buds,and then burying the whole pot in the ground. In Japan this can beoften be seen in many small gardens.Using a nicely colored pot like a royal blue or some other colorthat blends with any flowers around will add a bit of art to youbamboo garden. Let a good 3 inches stick out of the ground todisplay both the bamboo and the pot.Bamboo gardening can be a fun way to add something unique toyour garden, whether you are going for a full Japanese gardeneffect, or merely want to add something different to your design.Trying to plant and lay the barrier yourself can be a great DIYproject if you are one for details.There are as many types of bamboo plants to choose from for yourgarden as there are uses for the plant itself. Over 1000 species ofbamboo in 90 genera have been described and named and there maywell be varieties waiting to be discovered. Bamboo plants grow atvarious heights in various ways with various leaf lengths andshapes. Variety should not come as a surprise considering how manyareas of the planet in which they've evolved. Bamboo spans theglobe from the United States to Asia to Australia and can now be abeautiful addition to your own home.There are several factors to consider when choosing a bambooplant:* Purpose - The uses of the bamboo plant are endless. It can bea striking stand-alone, a low variegated border, a groundcover oran accent plant. It holds prominent placement in creating stunningJapanese gardens. By far it's most popular use is as a fast-growingprivacy screen. Since bamboo is one of the fastest growing plantson the planet, a screen or hedge can be created more quickly andinexpensively than hardwood trees or fencing.* Temperature - It is best to select plants that will toleratetemperatures well below the lowest ones you've experienced in thelast few years.* Sunlight - Choose a species based on the number of hours ofdirect sunlight they will receive and what part of the day theywill be in the sun. A.M. sun is cooler and P.M. sun may beharsher.* Height and diameter - Affected by all aspects of the climate,most plants have a known reference point based on their climate oforigin.